What is Digital Humanities?

If I start by taking each word separately, digital means the use of technology and humanities relates to the study of human society through subjects such as history, literature, music and philosophy. Connecting the two words, digital humanities means to me learning about the traditional humanities disciplines through digital born material. The description for this course focused on some key points that were interesting to me and can help further clarify the term such as the fact that digital humanities was an emerging field in which we would be exploring contemporary themes of social media, examining virtual environments and investigating virtual worlds as spaces of creation, inquiry, political upheaval and social change. Digital humanities has definitely caught on and this is referenced as such by Matthew Kirschenbaum's in his article, What is Digital Humanities and What's It Doing in English Departments? where he states that "In the space of a little more than five years, digital humanities had gone from being a term of convenience used by a group of researchers who had already been working together for years to something like a movement." This whole concept of digital humanities appears to be definitely having an impact on our world today. Using digital tools and methods to collect and analyze information, do research, engage in conversations and ask/answer questions can be an exciting way to learn. The resources available through the use of technology are unlimited. Using an electronic format can also be an effective way to communicate with others whether it be a blog, twitter, or some other online media tool. Furthermore, using technology as a learning tool provides opportunities to be creative and flexible which can further enhance learning. I know for me, using digital devices helps me better understand what I am studying. During this semester, I am looking forward to learning more about the whole culture of digital humanities through the discussions and experiments such as designing a website among other activities.